VZCZCXRO2430
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1004/01 3181042
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131042Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8769
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001004
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL FACILITATION MEETING
WITH FORCE COMMANDER BABUKAR GAYE
KINSHASA 00001004 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary: Representatives from the International
Facilitation (IF) and MONUC Force Commander Gaye met on November 11
in Goma to discuss various issues. EU Special Representative
Roeland van de Geer provided a brief overview of the Nairobi Summit,
emphasizing that the IF will support Obasanjo's efforts. Force
Commander Gaye lamented that there is no effective FARDC and that we
are paying the price for the failure to implement security sector
reform (SSR). The international community must devise an emergency
plan for SSR and work together to implement it, in an effort to
rebuild totally and mentor strongly the FARDC. MONUC's Alpha Sow
said that it was very important that the IF maintain the progress
achieved with other armed groups in the Kivus and not abandon the
Amani program. It appears clear that Nkunda is building coalitions
in Ituri, specifically with the Popular Front for Justice in Congo
(FPJC). End summary.
2. (SBU) Representatives from the International Facilitation (IF)
and MONUC Force Commander Gaye met November 11 in Goma to discuss
various current issues. (Note: Gaye returned to the DRC November 7
to once again command MONUC forces following the abrupt departure of
his successor, Spanish General Vicente Diaz de Villegas. End note.)
EU Special Representative Roeland van de Geer gave a brief overview
of the Nairobi Summit, stressing that the IF will support Obasanjo's
efforts. Van de Geer said there are two essential elements for a
peace plan: Obasanjo needs to be able to force both sides to accept
a ceasefire and the GDRC needs to provide a path, such as the
Kamerhe plan, to provide some perspective, especially to the FARDC.
However, Bernard Sexe, French Poloff in Goma, questioned how there
could be a political solution: Nkunda wants power, and what
legitimate regime could accept this?
3. (SBU) General Gaye opined that the Actes d'Engagement would
never be implemented. He also lamented that there is no effective
FARDC and that we are paying the price for the failure to implement
security sector reform (SSR). The international community must
devise an emergency plan for SSR and work together to implement it,
in an effort to rebuild totally and mentor strongly the FARDC. This
will require a certain amount of cajoling and gentle pushing with
the MoD. Furthermore, the CNDP must merge with the FARDC and
afterwards commit to take on the FDLR. Standing by the current
model, which does not allow integrated CNDP soldiers to remain in
the Kivus, is untenable. Gaye's personal opinion, which, he
stressed, was not MONUC's position, is that CNDP soldiers should be
represented on a proportional basis in all the integrated brigades.
4. (SBU) Van de Geer agreed that the lack of coordination among
international donors on SSR is a serious problem. He identified the
U.S., South Africa, Angola, France and Belgium as all serious about
SSR, but said that the last Round Table was a failure and that he
will put more pressure on the international community to coordinate
in this area.
5. (SBU) MONUC's Colonel Cunliffe (UK) mentioned that early views
on the new Minister of Defense are not encouraging, and that he is a
hardliner. He also raised the idea of using the key sector lead
approach as was done in Afghanistan. He explained that in
Afghanistan, for example, the EU had the lead in military justice
reform while the U.S. had the lead on army reform. This does not
mean that the lead nation is the only one involved in any given
activity, but that other interested states would fall behind the
lead and coordinate with them.
6. (SBU) MONUC's Alpha Sow said that it was very important that the
IF maintain the progress made with other armed groups in the Kivus
and not abandon the Amani program. All of the work with those
groups could unravel if we are not careful, he added.
7. (SBU) Concerning the FDLR, General Gaye reiterated that the
containment strategy, which calls for four zones of operation to
contain the FDLR coupled with protecting the population against
reprisals, is still valid. The problem is that several battalions
must still be trained by MONUC and those that are trained must be
equipped. MONUC is ready to provide food, but intelligence and
psychological operations support is still needed for the FARDC to be
effective.
8. (SBU) Sow maintained that the GDRC's commitment to fight the
FDLR is weak. Soldiers are consistently diverted to fight the CNDP
and the FARDC has consistently violated the ceasefire. Sow
suggested that, if the CNDP and the FARDC are kept in their
respective corners, MONUC could take care of the FDLR. In Gaye's
opinion, the GDRC is facing a crisis, which it is managing with its
heart rather than with its mind.
9. (SBU) IF members, including USAID TDY officer, noted that Nkunda
KINSHASA 00001004 002.2 OF 002
is building coalitions in Ituri, specifically with the Popular Front
for Justice in Congo (FPJC). Sharif, the ex-FNI commander who leads
the FPJC, is a known associate of Bosco. There is evidence of some
financial flows to the FPJC via Bosco. Furthermore, FPJC rhetoric
and military strategy are virtually identical to those of the CNDP.
BROCK